Versteckt
by KaijinKyn
Summary: A very long time ago, one old Italian man built a mansion in the middle of a forest to continue the work his German friend abandoned. Now, the descendant of that German friend crashes his car and discovers said mansion while trying to find help. But this mansion holds secrets, ones that were supposed to be buried in the landslide of time...
1. Prologue

**Chapter 1 - You Can't Set Foot Into That Mysterious Mansion...  
Prologue - ...**

* * *

"Ja, so vhen you pick up ze phone, make sure you say 'hello, zis is Beilschmidt Indrustries'. You've gotta sound professional, right? Then-" BUMP. "Ah...Scheiße, vhat vas zat? Let me just put you on hold-" SCREEEEECH. "GOTT!" CRASH.

…

…

…

"Ow, my head…" A person, with snow white hair and blood red eyes sat up slowly. His vision was swimming, and he had a massive headache. "Vhat happened…?" The albino blinked a few times, frowning when his eyes didn't clear. Putting a hand to his head, the man felt something wet and paused before bringing his fingers close to his face. He didn't need to see properly to know that red usually meant you were bleeding.

"Vell shit. Did I crash?" Stumbling to his feet, the man used the trees around him to moving towards the big ball of orange _something _in the distance. He stopped when he realised there was heat coming from the orange whatever and quickly started running backwards. If that was his car, that meant his car was on fire. Which mean that-

BOOOM!

* * *

In America there is a forest. There are lots of forests in America, but this one is special. A very long time ago, an elderly Italian man built a mansion in the deepest part of this forest and spent the rest of his life inside, never coming out once. Many people speculated what happened to him in the end, and what he did in there, all alone.

Going further back, people would have learned this man used to have a German friend. Both men were scientists, and both worked together on the same project for a very long time. The initial project failed, and the German man moved onto other things. The Italian never gave up.

But no one bothered to look into the past.

The mansion hidden in the forest was forgotten over time, and around the forest roads and houses were built, technology advanced. But for the inhabitants of the mansion, time was at a standstill, and nothing progressed.

Until that day.

Until that day…


	2. Chapter 1 - Part 1

**Chapter 1 - You Can't Set Foot Into That Mysterious Mansion...**

**Part 1 - ...Without Angering It's Former Inhabitants**

* * *

…

…

…

"...e you o…"

...

"...ake u…"

"...se wake u…"

"...HEY!" Two ruby red eyes snapped open and Gilbert woke with a start, shooting up from his lying down position before falling off the couch he was laying on with a thump.

"Mein gott…" He groaned, sitting up and focusing his vision on the person now kneeling beside him.

"I'm so sorry for yelling! I was just worried there was something wrong, so I wanted to wake you up…" A quiet voice met his ears and he narrowed his eyes. His vision was still blurry, and he had a feeling something was wrong with his ears, considering the volume of the other voice.

"Ah...Zat's ok. Uh, vhat happened? Vho _are _you?" The blurry figure shifted slightly.

"I-I'm Matthew...Matthew Williams. Um, this is my - I-I mean - wait, yes - this is my house...home...um…I found you a little ways away outside...Your head was bleeding, and you were turned off, so I brought you here. I don't know what happened before that, though...Sorry." Gilbert frowned. What _had_ happened? He couldn't remember. He knew his first name, but apart from that he couldn't remember anything. Suddenly he realised what the other man had said and raised his hand, touching the bandages wrapped under his fringe gingerly. A head injury, great.

"Oh, yeah, I wrapped your head...I hope that was ok...Uh, you also had something in your back, so I had to take off your shirt and fix you, and your shirt was dirty so...Uh, you're wearing one of my shirts now...sorry about that, too." Something was off about what the kid was saying but Gilbert couldn't place it, his head too muddled to think clearly.

"Stop apologizing, kid, you did fine. If you hadn't found me I vould probably be dead by now." Matthew smiled softly, adjusting his glasses on his face, not that Gilbert could see this.

"W-Well, it was hard not to worry when we all saw the blast…" Gilbert jolted.

"Blast?" The blurry figure nodded.

"Oui, the blast. Something exploded, we don't know what." He frowned. An explosion? Well, perhaps that's how his head got hurt...And why his hearing was screwed up.

"Huh...Hey, as comfortable as ze floor is…" He started. Matthew blinked, standing suddenly.

"S-Sorry! I mean, uhm, sorry!" He offered his hand, and Gilbert reached forward - only to miss Matthews hand entirely and fall over again. "Oh! Are you ok?!" Matthew asked, grabbing his shoulders and pulling him onto his feet.

"Ah, ja, I'm fine, don't vorry. I just...can't see properly right now, zats all." Gilbert replied.

"Well, that won't do! Um...But I don't know how to fix eyes…" Matthew muttered, half to himself. "Here, sit and I'll go see if…" The boys voice disappeared along with his outline and Gilbert, now sat on the couch, was left with his thoughts.

_Well, now what? I have no idea where I am, who these people are, who _I _am..Well, I know my first name, but thats it. Plus I can barely hear, and I'm practically blind. _

Gilbert quickly learned that his hearing was more than fine.

"HEY MATTIE IS THE GUY AWAKE YET?!" A voice yelled and Gilbert shrieked, having not expected the sudden volume change. "Huh. I guess he is."

Gilbert scowled, turning his head until he spotted another human-like figure in the room.

"Vhat ze hell vas zat?! You almost deafened me!" The other voice laughed. It was a very loud and very _annoying _laugh, Gilbert decided.

"Dude! What's up with that accent! You sound like Ludwig, man." Gilbert huffed.

"I'm german. And you are very unaweshome right now." The albino paused. Awesome. Hm. That word sounded...right. He liked it. Perhaps he used it a lot before whatever happened to him?

"I'm _always_ awesome, thanks." The new voice replied. "MAAAATTIE!" Gilbert cringed, covering his ears with his hands.

"Lieber Gott Sie sind ärgerlich!" Gilbert couldn't see the strange look directed at him.

"Is that..'german' too?" The other voice asked. Gilbert raised an eyebrow.

"Something's vrong vith you if you don't know vhat German is."

"Alfred! Can you not bother our guest, please." Matthews voice returned and Gilbert grinned, happy to hear the boys quiet voice again.

"Ja, leave me alone less aweshome vone." He said dismissively. Alfred frowned.

"Like I'm leaving you alone with my younger brother." Matthew sighed, walking over to Gilbert.

"First, we aren't properly brothers Alfred, second if we were I'd be the older one." The quieter one replied, handing something to Gilbert. "Here, try these on."

Gilbert blinked, turning the object around in his hands before realising they were glasses. He slipped them onto his nose and peered through them.

"Any better?" Matthew asked.

"Nein. Sorry." The albino replied, taking them off and handing them back to the other man.

"Hey, so when were you planning on telling the others about him?" Alfred asked, interrupting the conversation. Gilbert suddenly remembered mentions of 'them' and wondered just how many people lived here.

"Yeah, vho are 'zey'?" Matthew jolted, looking worriedly between Alfred and Gilbert.

"Al, can we talk for a moment?" The older one asked before dragging his 'brother' out of the room and closing the door behind him. Gilbert blinked before frowning, getting up slowly. Why couldn't Matthew just tell him what was wrong?

He stumbled blindly in the direction of the door and, once finding it, pressed his ear against the surface.

"-know they won't like him being here! We've never had any outsiders stay here before Matt." Alfred said. Matthew fidgeted, frowning.

"We can't just kick him out either! He's half blind and-"

"We don't even know the guys name!"

"Well...Lets ask, then." Gilbert only had enough time to stumble backwards and bump into the table before falling onto his ass when the door opened.

"...What are you doing on the floor?" Alfred asked, tilting his head. In Gilberts blurry vision he realised that both men looked exactly the same. Same height, hair colour, everything. Well, except clothes.

"Oh, just...Trying out ze floor again. You really need to get a more comfortable…" He quickly patted the floor. "Carpet. A much more fluffy one." Alfred narrowed his eyes while Matthew giggled softly.

"Let me help you up." Matthew offered.

"Nein, nein!" Gilbert rejected, using the table to pull himself up. "See? Ze awesome me can do it."

"So who _are _you?" Alfred asked, stepping forward in what he hoped was an aggressive way. Gilbert shrugged.

"I know my first name is Gilbert, but apart from zat I don't really remember anyzing." Alfred shared a look with Matthew.

"Well...I suppose we'll just have to hide you from the others until we come up with something." Matthew muttered, running a hand through golden-orange locks.

"Vhy can't I just meet zese other people?" Gilbert asked, frustrated.

"Yeah, bro, why not?" Alfred asked.

"A-Alfred!" Matthew exclaimed, glancing at his brother.

"What? We should show everyone else who he is and let them decide what to do." Matthew fidgeted.

"No...Not, not everyone at once. Just…" Alfred shrugged.

"You decide, Matt."

"I vant to meet them, Matthew." Gilbert said, voice firm. Matthew sighed.

"Alright…"

**0o0o0o0o0o0**

"Why the bloody hell do we all have to be down here now, of all times?"

"Oui, I would must rather be taking a shower...My 'air is all dirty!"

"Ve~ Alfred said it would-a be important!"

"Anyting dat boy says is important is usually not, aru."

"Perhaps we should hear him out, да? Maybe today it won't have anything to do with food."

"I vould be very happy if zat vas ze case…"

Gilbert fidgeted uncomfortably outside the door, listening along with Alfred and Matthew to what the other people had to say. Gilbert was wearing some of Alfred's clothes, his own being dirty and washed (although his shirt now had a large hole in it after being penetrated - hehe, penetrated, he didn't know why but that word was just so funny to him - by what Gilbert guessed was a shard of metal, explaining the bandages around his chest). Gilbert had slept in Matthews room on the floor yesterday, and had to be guided around the entire house like some blind man, which is basically what he was. His vision was still crap.

"You didn't tell them?" Matthew asked his brother, frowning. Alfred nodded.

"You're going to, right? The only reason Gilbert is here is because of you." Matthew sighed.

"I suppose I have to…" Gilbert still didn't fully understand what was going on. All he knew was that these other people weren't going to have him around.

Alfred swung the door open suddenly, shoving Gilbert inside. The albino would have probably been able to right himself if he wasn't partially blind, but he was and so he ended up tripping over his own feet and slamming face first into the floor. For about the third time.

"Alfred!" Matthew exclaimed, rushing forwards and helping the German man up. Alfred was laughing at the top of his lungs, collapsed against the doorway.

"Ass." Gilbert rasped, leaning again Matthew for support and glaring at Alfred's blurry figure.

Someone behind him cleared their throat and both Matthew and Gilbert turned. All Gilbert saw was a bunch of blurry men. Or, what he assumed was men, some of them looked very feminine like this...Like how Matthew had looked before he'd introduced himself.

"Uhhh…" Matthew seemed to be lost for words so Gilbert took over for him.

"Guten Tag! I am ze AWESHOME Gilbert, and you should all now bow before my presence!" It just felt so _right _to say that. Was he this narcissistic before he lost his memory? Probably.

Matthew had turned to gape at the albino, having not expected that at all.

"Alfred, who is this?" Matthew sighed, glancing at his still laughing 'brother' in the doorway.

"I'm Matthew, Arthur. And this is Gilbert, like he said. He...Uh, He's from the outside." There were collective gasps from the people in the room followed by sudden yells. Gilbert was surprised. What was so bad about coming from _the outside_? Were these people all shut-ins or something?

"What are you thinking, Alf-" "Matthew." "-Matthew! We can't bring outsiders in, you know that!" The voice that Gilbert had now identified as 'Arthur' and very English snapped, louder than the rest of the voices in the room and silencing them at the same time.

"Oui...I thought you were smarter zen zis, mon petit Matthieu!" A French accented voice said.

"I'm sorry, frère. But he got hurt in the explosion we saw earlier! I couldn't just leave him…" Matthew explained. Muttering started up again before being silenced by a - surprise suprise - German accented voice.

"Vell is zere any reason for him to still be here? You fixed him, I presume?"

"Oui, but...He can't see properly, and he doesn't remember who he is. I didn't just want to get rid of him like that…" Gilbert frowned. They were talking about him as if he wasn't even there at this point.

"If you have something broken that can't be fixed, why bother keeping it? We should just kill him~" A new voice spoke up and Gilbert let out a screech of fear.

"No vay! You can't do that!" The tall silhouette moved closer.

"Why not, little one~?" Matthew frowned, quickly stepping between them.

"Don't scare him, Ivan." The tall _thing_ - Gilbert decided that someone who had no value for human life didn't deserve to be called a person - shrugged, stepping away.

"it was just a suggestion, Matvey." Alfred, now recovered from his laughing fit, slapped a hand onto the unexpecting Gilbert's shoulder, causing him to yelp in surprise before blushing when some people laughed.

"Well, what do you guys wanna do with him?" Alfred asked. Gilbert had now decided that Alfred was probably American, explaining why he didn't know what Germany was. Americans were just that full of themselves. Also, Alfreds loud voice booming in his ear was really annoying.

"Kill him~!" Ivan suggested again, earning a glare from Gilbert.

"Throw him out." Arthur muttered, narrowing his eyes. Many voices agreed with Arthurs decision.

"W-Wait a minute everyone." A new voice said loudly, attracting attention. "Perhaps we should ret him stay and herp him before retting him reave?" This suggestion brought on very loud yelling from everyone over what they should do.

"EVERYBODY SHUT UP!" The german voice yelled and everyone was quickly silenced. "Now zen. People vho vant to kick...Gilbert?" The albino nodded. "Gilbert out, raise zere hand." Silence. "People vho vant him to stay?" More silence. "Und...People vho vant to kill him…?" Gilberts jaw dropped open at that.

"Vhat ze hell!"

"He's just going through all the options, Gil." Matthew assured him. "Ludwig is always very organised."

"Alright zen. Gilbert, you may stay." Gilbert let out a sigh of relief while grumbles of annoyance passed around the table from the people who wanted to get rid of the German man. Slowly people filtered out of the room until there was only a few left.

Gilbert suddenly found his chin being tilted upwards by something metal and was forced to stare into dark purple eyes.

"Do not pry around in places you are not suppose to pry in while here, little one. What you find may not be to your liking." Ivan warned darkly before wandering off.

"Creepy ass man." Alfred muttered under his breath, glaring after him. Gilbert rubbed his chin, wondering what it had been touching him. Surely Ivan didn't have metal fingers or something.

"He carries a metal pipe around." Alfred informed him and Gilbert went pale, if that was even possible.

"Excuse me." Three heads turned, only two able to see who it was speaking.

"Hello Ludwig." Matthew greeted softly.

"Ja, hello...Uh…" Ludwig faltered and Matthew sighed. "Matthew." "Matthew, right. I knew zat." The taller man coughed awkwardly before turning to Gilbert. "It is nice to meet you, Gilbert. I am Ludwig Beilschmidt." Ludwig said, not bothering to offer his hand considering Gilbert couldn't exactly see where it was.

Gilbert probably wouldn't have even noticed if he did, however, because his mind was overloading. _Beilschmidt, Beilschmidt, why does that name sound so familiar?_ The albino thought, scowling when nothing came to mind. Why oh why did he have to have amnesia of all things _now_?

"Uh, yes, nice to meet you too, Luddy." Gilbert muttered offhandedly, still thinking hard. Ludwig blinked before going red from embarrassment of that name while Alfred laughed.

"P-Please, don't call me zat…"

"Vhat?" Gilbert asked, finally paying attention.

"Luddy. Please don't call me zat…" Ludwig muttered, covering his red face with a hand. Gilbert blinked before snickering.

"Oh, sorry. It kinda suits you zough. Luddy." Gilbert was suddenly overwhelmed by the urge to ruffle Ludwigs slicked back hair.

"V-Vell, anyvay, I came to give you zese." The blonde muttered, handing Gilbert something. Quickly recognizing them as glasses Gilbert tried handing them back.

"Nein, Matthew tried giving me glasses yesterday. Zey didn't vork." Ludwig sighed.

"Zey are my spare pair of glasses. Mattin-" "Matthew." "-Matthew probably gave you his. Try mine." Shrugging Gilbert slipped them onto his nose.

"Zey aren't going to vor-" The albino started dismissively before pausing. Suddenly, everything was clear. He could see. He could SEE!

"So?" Ludwig asked. Gilbert leaned forward, peering at the taller man. He was blonde, with icey blue eyes.

Gilbert whipped around and quickly found Matthew and Alfred, surprised at how similar they were. Gilbert knew the difference though. Being partially blind helped you notice small differences to help tell things like that apart. Matthew wore roundish, half rimmed glasses to cover lavender purple eyes, and had a very feminine shaped face surrounded with flowing, chin length blonde-orange hair. All in all, he was quite cute.

Alfred on the other hand was slightly - only slightly!- taller than his 'brother'. He had squareish half rimmed glasses on, covering cornflower blue eyes. Where Matthew smiled shyly Alfred grinned confidently, and had short, partially messy wheat yellow hair atop his head.

"Are they working, Gilbert?" Matthew asked. Gilbert grinned.

"Ja! I can see you both fine now! Alzough having to vear glasses all ze time is going to be kinda shitty…You two are cute, by ze vay." Matthew blushed a hot red while Alfred laughed loudly.

"Vell I'm glad zey vork. You can keep zem, zey are just my spare pair." Ludwig informed him, smiling only slightly. Gilbert nodded.

"Danke, Luddy!"

"Don't call me zat!"

**0o0o0o0o0o0**

_I gave Ludwig a spare pair of glasses today, just in case. After having Alfred lose his multiple times I've decided to give all my children spare pairs just in case. Arthur needs a pair, so does Matthew...Oh dear. This is going to take a while._

Ivan frowned, staring down at the wrinkled pages of the book before slamming it closed, strolling out of the room and locking it closed behind him.


	3. Chapter 1 - Part 2

**Chapter 1 - You Can't Set Foot Into That Mysterious Mansion...**

**Part 2 - ...But At Least You're Fed And No One Picks On You**

* * *

**"****Opa, Opa! Look at zis, I made zis! Look, look!" With a tired sigh piercing blue eyes belonging to a tall blonde focused on the small, white haired boy below him. **

"_Not now, _. I'm busy." The small child pouted, arms dropping to the side limply._

"_You're alvays busy now! Vhen can ve play together, you promised!" The man sighed once more, images of an overly-cheerful Italian man with unruly hair coming to mind. _

"_I'm sorry, Enkel, but this vork is important to me. You know that." Blood red eyes lowered to the floor sadly. _

"_...Can't you at least look at vhat I made for you?" The man bent down, long braided hair falling over his shoulders._

"_Vhat is it?" Looking back up, the boy grinned happily and raised his arms again, silently asking to be picked up. The man did so, lifting the boy by his underarms onto his lap. "Show me then." The boy did just that, showing his only remaining family member his little woodwork toys._

"_I made zem myshelf!" The boy exclaimed proudly before starting to point to the carefully painted people._

"_Zis vone is called Keiv. Shes ze big sister, shee, und she looks after her little brother and sister. Ze boy is called Rus. Hes very small, und kinda weak, but he just vants lots of friends. Keiv made him a scarf." Small pudgy fingers pointed to a pink, wobbly line painted around the middle-sized toys neck. "Ze smallest is called Belarussia. She loves her big brother a lot." _

_The man blinked, inspecting the toys carefully. _

"_May I have them?" Red eyes lit up happily._

"_Do you vant zem, Opa?"_

"_I vouldn't have asked if I didn't." _

"_O-Of course you can! I made zem for you, because ich liebe dich, Opa!" A hand gently ruffled soft white locks of hair. _

"_Ja, little vone. Ich liebe dich too." _

"_Yay! Can ve go play now, please?"_

"_Fine. Let me just gra…"_

…

…

…

"...Gilbert."

"Urghhh…"

"Gilbert."

"Müde...Noch fünf Minuten, Opa…" A blonde eyebrow raised. He was still getting used to hearing someone from the outside speak his language.

"Gilbert, get up."

"Geh weg…"

"I really don't vant to do zis."

"Lass mich schlafen...!" With a small sigh Ludwig tilted the bucket of freezing ice water onto the albinos face.

"VHAT ZE HOLY HELL!" Gilbert yelled, bolting upright in his bed and flailing uselessly for a few moments, completely blind without his glasses.

Finally locating the helpful facial equipment Gilbert shoved them onto his face - not before poking himself in the eye first - and turned to glare at Ludwig.

"Vhat vas zat!" He snapped, anger and tiredness rolling off the irate German man.

"Zat vas me vaking you up. Get out of bed." Ludwig demanded, moving away to pick up the things that had fallen to the floor when Gilbert woke.

"Vhy did you have to vake me up?!" Gilbert groaned, pouting like a child.

"Because it is vone in ze afternoon und I vas vorried about you." Gilbert paused in his sulking before sighing. He couldn't be annoyed at Ludwig, he was just trying to take care of him. The only people who seemed to enjoy his company in this damn mansion was said other German man and Matthew.

But that dream...Why did it feel so important? Perhaps it was one of his memories?

"..Lbert. GILBERT!"

"WAH!" Gilbert then fell off the bed, now totalling four times he had fallen off something. "Vhat?!"

"I'm sorry, but you vere zoning out." Gilbert struggled back onto his wet bed, frowning.

"Sheeing as I'm avake now because of you, you can make me breakfast." The albino demanded. Ludwig narrowed his eyes at the other man and Gilbert flinched. "O-Or...I could...Do it myshelf. Ja, zats fine too."

"I vill see you in ze dining room." Ludwig stated simply, walking out of the room.

Gilbert sighed, putting a hand to his forehead and staring blankly at the wooden floor. That dream, that dream, that person, those figures...It was all so important, yet Gilbert could barely remember any of it!

"Verdammt!" He cursed, punching the bed angrily and glaring at the closed doorway...Except it wasn't closed, and there was someone standing there.

"..Oh. It's you. Vhat do you vant?" Gilbert grumbled, not in the mood to deal with _him._ The taller man, on the other hand, gave Gilbert a cold but large smile.

"I came to visit my favorite little outsider, да? Ah, I mean, the only outsider we have here. You are my favorite, though~!" Ivan replied cheerfully, stepping forward.

"Nein! Shtay zere!" The taller man paused midstep, raising an eyebrow in question. Gilbert was secretly impressed with Ivans balancing skills. "I'm getting up in a minute, just vait for me to get dressed at least." Ivan paused, tilting his head like a confused puppy before his smile grew even wider, looking like his face would split apart at any moment.

"Let me help you get dressed, Gillian~! It would be easier with two people, да?" Gilberts eyes widened at that and he rushed to scramble off his bed to slam the door closed but he - once again - fell flat on his face, glasses falling off in the process. Ivans now blurry figure crouched down in front of the albino, picking up something off the floor before waving his glasses around teasingly.

"Looking for these?"

"Give me zose, Ivan." Dark purple eyes filled Gilberts vision, the two of them close enough to kiss.

"Why should I?" Ivans voice had lowered an octave and he was murmuring quietly, nose brushing Gilberts. "If you can't see what you're doing, what's to stop me from just…" Lips brushed Gilberts cheek gently. "...taking you now?"

Gilbert, as stated before, was not in the mood for this. The entire week Gilbert had been there Ivan had been switching between trying to get into Gilberts pants and trying to murder him, neither options very fun for the amnesiac. He had quickly learned the taller man was feared by everyone in the mansion, and there were _a lot_ of people living here.

"Fuck off!" What happened next was a struggle for Gilbert to get his glasses back from the taller man as Ivan tried to get the albinos shirt off. "Give zem back, dammit!"

"Ufufu~ нет!" Ivan continued to tease the smaller man for a minute longer before chucking Gilberts glasses over his shoulder, the accessory sliding across the hallway floor.

For a moment, neither man moved.

Gilbert scowled suddenly, lunging forwards and slipping past Ivan, scrambling to get to the hall and _freedom _when suddenly his trousers were gone. And so were his boxers. WHAT.

"Oh! I didn't realise you were so pale down there too, Gillian~! You'd blend in very well with a blank canvas. Playing hide and seek with you in an empty room painted white would prove very difficult, I should think."

Gilberts face, on the other hand, was a red similar in shade to his eyes. He closed the gap between his glasses and hand before slipping them onto his face, turning to glare at an amused looking Ivan, his undergarments laying haphazardly on the floor.

"Get out."

"Pardo-"

"GET OUT! AUSSTEIGEN! ICH WILL NICHT, SIE WIEDERZUSEHEN HEUTE, IVAN, SO EINFACH WEG!" Ivan paused, wondering for a moment if he'd gone too far. Holding up his hands in a sign of peace, the taller man exited the room carefully, closing the door softly behind him.

When Gilbert entered the dining room that morning, he did so with a slam of the doors, flinging them open so harshly they cracked the wall slightly.

"W-Woah! Dude, you alrigh-" Alfred started, eyebrows furrowed in confusion, along with many other people sitting in the room.

"Don't. Talk. To. Me." Gilbert growled out darkly, glaring at Alfred with all the force he could muster. The fact his eyes burned blood red only helped make the albinos dark aura seem darker. No one dared to speak in the presence of the angry outsider, wondering what would happen if someone made a noise.

Gilbert stormed into the kitchen, which was attached to the dining room, flinging the door of the fridge open and yanking out a beer angrily. Normally he wouldn't do early morning drinking, but it was now two in the afternoon and Gilbert was pissed.

Storming back into the dining room, Gilbert sat down as far away from everyone else as he could before ripping the top of the beer open and chugging it down. Wiping his mouth with the back of his hand Gilbert then noticed everyone gaping at him.

"Vhat are you all looking at?" He growled, glaring at anyone who tried making eye contact. Slowly, conversation started up again and Gilbert was left to his dark thoughts about all the different ways he was going to murder Ivan.

_I could stab him with a knife, or drown him in a river or something. Maybe choke the life out of him with that pick, gay ass scarf of his. _

If looks could kill, the table Gilbert sat at would be dead by now. His thoughts drifted onto other topics.

_No one here even likes having me around. Only Matthew and Luddy will bother being nice, but Matthew's always being dragged away by his brother and Ludwig is too focused on work to spend time with me…_ Gilbert took another swig of his beer, thoughts barely registering anymore. _...Just like Opa. Anyone who doesn't hate me, like Arthur or Yao is scared of me, like Feliciano and Lovino. Fuck...I'm alone. Again. Even in a mansion filled with people, I'm alone. I hate it, I hate being alone…_

By this point Gilbert had managed to attracted attention again, hunched over the table he sat at with shoulders shaking and sobbing quietly into the table.

_Alone alone alone alone alone alone alone alone alo-_

"Gil…?" A gentle hand was placed on Gilberts shoulder and the albino looked up, quickly wiping away his tears when he noticed who it was.

"O-Oh...Hey zere, Matthew. Vhat's up…?" Matthew frowned, sitting beside his friend.

"I'm fine, Gil. But what happened to you? You come in here all angry and then you start...crying. Is something wrong?" The albino stared into Matthews eyes for a moment. They were like Ivans, but prettier. Happier. Freer.

"Ke...Ke...Kese...Kesese...KESESESE! Is shomething vrong?" Gilbert repeated, grinning. "Ze AWESHOME ME doesn't HAVE troubles, Matthew! I'M AWESHOME!" Matthew winced, covering his ears before pulling his hands away, still frowning.

"Gilbert, if someone's bothering you-" Gilbert placed a hand on his friends shoulder, face a little red.

"You...Remind me of a pet I used to have, Matthew." He slurred, grinning. "He vas a bird...A cute little bird zat had yellow feathers und vas AWESHOME like me. I called him Gilbird. Ve vere best pals." A faraway look entered the other mans eyes and he looked quite out of it for a moment before frowning. "Zen...Zen he died." Matthew raised an eyebrow.

"So I remind you of your dead bird?" Gilbert nodded frantically, now slinging both arms around his friends shoulders.

"Ja, jaaaa~! B-Because, ve vere best friends, und he vas yellow like you und zen he died, but he vas free vhen he died, so zat is good. GOOD because...Because you are free, und happy, und I...Am not." Gilbert then proceeded to throw up on Matthew shoes and slump unconscious in the other mans lap.

"_E-Eh? Vhat...Vhat are you? Are you a servant of Krampus? I-I'll get you vith my riding crop if you are!" _

_Cheep!_

"_...Vell, you sheem too shmall to be a threat...Und you're kinda cute, too. I know, lets be friends! You'll be my first friend around here~ little birdie~" _

_Cheep cheep!_

"_Ja! Now all you need is an aweshome name, like mine...Um...Ah, I know! GilBIRD! Ishn't zat really AWESHOME? Yeah! Come on, lets go show you to Opa." _

"_Gilbird! Vhere are you, birdie!" _

_Cheep! Cheep cheep! Cheep! _

"_Oh...Oh! Little baby Gilbirds! Vhere did zese come from…? Oh vell! Zere're cute too, so I'll keep zem! Yay, birdies!" _

"_Gilbird...Gilbird? Hey, vhy are you shtill asleep birdie? Vake up, come on! Ve've got a long day ahead of roaming ze forest together and defeating ze Krumpus! Come on, vake up! Gilbird! ….Gilbird…? Gil...Bird…"_

"_Opa wants more toys, Opa wants more toys~" The albino sang softly, skipping down the hallway cheerfully. He was older than before, no longer a child. More a teen, but a teen without a childhood. A teen with the mindset of a young child. He'd made many toys for his Opa, but today he had three very special toys._

"_Nein! I can't do this vith you anymore _!"_

"_B-But we were-a so close, friend! Come on, just once more-!" _

"_I'm sorry, but I just can't. I have other things to vork on, _."_

"_...I-a see." The teen blinked, frowning. What was going on? Suddenly the door swung open and a man with messy brown hair stormed out, completely ignoring the boy he passed. _

"_Opa?" The teen asked after a few minutes, poking his head into the room. His Opa was leaning on his desk, head in his arms. "Grandpa…" The teen addressed the man in English, surprising the man._

"_Oh...Enkel. Vhat is it." Red eyes closed and a grin surfaced on the boys face. _

"_I made more toys!" Nothing happened for a moment. "Do you like zem?" _

_The toys disappeared from the teens grasp and he opened his eyes when he heard a clattering noise. His Opa was throwing the toys across the room angrily, glaring at them first before glaring at his son._

"_This is your fault! If you hadn't made those toys in the first place none of this vould have happened!" The teen flinched, backing away._

"_O-Opa, I-" _

"_Nein! Shut up! Go to your room!" Hurt and horribly confused the teen ran upstairs, slamming the door to his bedroom shut behind him. What had he done wrong? His Opa had always loved his toys, what changed…? _

_He didn't understand…_

_He was alone…_

_Alone…_

_alone…_

o0o0o0o0o

"Gilbert? Are you feeling alright?" Gilbert groaned, forcing his eyes open slowly. A crowd of people was huddled around his bed, peering down at him worriedly. He quickly recognized two of them as Ludwig and Matthew. Then Alfred, then Arthur, then Feliciano, then Ivan…

Ve~! He looks ok!" Feliciano said, sounding happy. Ludwig sighed in relief, stepping away and blushing at showing so much worry for his de-facto 'older brother'.

"I'm glad you're alright, Gilbert!" Matthew said, smiling softly. "I was worried something was wrong, but you were just drunk." Gilbert groaned as he sat up, everyone moving to give him space.

"Zat probably explains my pounding headache…" The albino muttered.

"Ah, here." Arthur said suddenly, offering the man a glass of water. Gilbert raised an eyebrow.

"Not to sound ungrateful or anything, but no painkiller?" The rest of them glanced uncertainly at each other.

"Painkiller?" Alfred repeated, tilting his head. Gilbert shook his head slowly, downing the water.

"Nevermind, I suppose." He grumbled once he was finished.

"So you are feeling alright then, Gillian?" Ivan asked, worry only barely noticeable under his nonchalant tone.

"Ja, just dandy." The albino muttered darkly, glaring at the taller man angrily. "Zis is your fault, you know." Ivan frowned but said nothing, opting to look at anything else except the other people in the room.

"Да, well...I am sorry. About that." He apologized softly before exiting the room, ends of his long pink scarf disappearing behind him.

"Ve~ I wonder what that was about? Oh well~!"

Long… _Ze boy is called Rus. Hes very small, und kinda weak, but he just vants lots of friends._

"Gil, are you sure there isn't anything we can do for you? Mon ami?"

Pink…

"Dude? You in there?"

Scarf...Scarf. Scarf! "_Keiv made him a scarf." Small pudgy fingers pointed to a pink, wobbly line painted around the middle-sized toys neck. _Long pink scarf!

"IVAN VAIT UP!" Gilbert yelled, throwing off his covers and stumbling down the hallway, leaning over the railing to peer at the tall man on the stairs giving him a weird look.

"Yes, Gilbert? Something you need?"

"Vhere…" Gilbert started. "Did you get zat scarf?"


	4. Chapter 1 - Part 3

One book. One very old book. One book, on one bookshelf, in the corner of one room. Beside that book is nine other books, and beside that bookshelf is four other bookshelf and that bookshelf is in a room above everything all the other rooms.

One key. An old key. One key to that one room with the five bookshelves and fifty books. One key. One key hidden hanging, hanging around someones neck.

Someone tall.

Someone tall, wearing a scarf dyed pink by paint, glitter and one unmentionable substance. And perhaps one red sock.

A scarf that wraps around secrets, marks and lines and many more secrets.

Like a key. An old key.

To a room.

With five bookshelves.

And fifty books.

One book is old.

Very old.

Oh, so old.

**Versteckt**

**Chapter 1 - You Can't Set Foot Into That Mysterious Mansion...**

**Part 3 - ...Unless It Happens To Belong To You**

"Vhere…Did you get zat scarf?" Red eyes stared into dark purple ones.

Ivan's hand reached up to adjust the fabric wrapped tight around his neck.

"...My sister made it for me." Gilberts eyes lit up. Surely Ivans sisters lived there, right? So many other people did too, it would be strange for them to not be.

"C-Cool! Can I meet her?" Ivans eyes flashed and then narrowed.

"Нет." Gilbert knew enough about Ivan to know that meant no.

"Vhy not?"

"Because she is dead!" Ivan snapped before storming downstairs, in a much worse mood than before.

Matthew rushed out to his friend as the albino fell to his knees and stared blankly at the wall.

**0o0o0o0o0**

"Матвей." Matthew paused, fingers half welded to the bed covers surrounding Gilbert.

"O-Oui, Ivan?" The shy boy replied softly, fiddling with his glasses.

"...You do not need to be scared. I am only here to talk to you." Matthew paused, quickly yanking his hand away from his face, still avoiding Ivans dark purple eyes with his own lighter ones.

"I'm not-" A hand came down on his shoulder and he was forced around, a second hand grabbing his chin roughly and tilting his head up.

"Look at me." Matthew shivered involuntarily, the back of his legs pressed against the hard wood of the bed behind him. If Gilbert woke up now…

"Please, Ivan…" The taller man let him go after a moment with a sigh, hands hovering uncertainly in front of him before settling on having his arms crossed over his own chest.

"He knows, Matthew." The younger man pushed his glasses back up his nose.

"How, Ivan? He hasn't seen the book." Just the mention sent Ivans left hand up his scarf to check if the key was there. Matthew sighed, frowning, before turning back to Gilberts bed. "You worry too much."

"I have a right to worry, Матвей!" Ivan pushed his way in front of the smaller man, now the one with his back to Gilbert. "He knows about the key, about my scarf-" Matthew let out a slightly frustrated noise.

"He was just curious, Ivan." He tried moving past the taller man to get to the bed, but found himself held in place by his wrists.

"Нет, нет! You don't just…" Ivan forced himself to breath through his nose before leaning closer to the bespectacled boy. "What about him sharing glasses with Ludwig? He can't see without them-"

"Perhaps they just have the same problem with their eyes?"

"No, they...They have the same eyes!" Matthew frowned.

"What?"

"T-The same eye shape! Tilted, squinted slightly, focused and calculating." "Ivan, this is ridiculous-" "If Gilbert wasn't an albino, what do you think he would look like?" Matthew paused, looking thoughtful.

"Well...He'd have blue eyes, like Ludwig, but he'd have brown hair or something."

"Hair and eye colour, Матвей. Generic traits. Ludwig is blonde with blue eyes. What did Master say his friend looked like?"

"..."

"_Матвей._"

"Blonde...With blue eyes."

"Да!" Matthew pulled his hands away from Ivans, pushing his glasses up his nose.

"That doesn't mean anything, Ivan. Master said that Ludwig was similar to his friend on purpose." Ivan tapped Matthew on the forehead.

"But you've already agreed that Gilbert and Ludwig look similar. Which means…?" Matthew raised an eyebrow.

"Means?"

"It means that Gilbert is related - possibly - to Masters friend, who knew about us!"

"I don't….I don't get it, Ivan. Are you trying to say this is a good thing, or a bad thing?" Matthew ran a hand through his own blonde hair. "It doesn't even matter. Even if Gilbert _does_ know what we are, he doesn't remember. Just leave it." Ivan tilted his head, eyes softening.

"I am just worried, Матвей." Matthew resumed his attempts to get past Ivan.

"About who?" Ivan bent down so his forehead was pressed again Matthews.

"You, us...Everyone. They, outsiders, cannot know we are here."

"Ivan-"

"Please, малышка. Be careful." Matthew sighed softly, pressing two fingers to his lips.

"I will." He replied eventually. Ivan smiled, kissing Matthew on the head.

"Спасибо." The taller man straightened, curling blonde hair around a gloved finger. "Я люблю тебя, Матвей."

"Je t'aime aussi, Ivan. Now get out!" The boy shooed the Russian out of the room, an amused look on his face.

In the bed, a pale skinned man with blood red eyes stared at the wall, mind processing everything he had just heard.

**0o0o0o0o0**

"Ve~ Ve~ Gilbert!" Feliciano called happily. Heads turned at the arrival of the white haired man.

"Kesesese! Hey zere, Curls." Matthew smiled.

"Are you alright, Gil?" Gilbert grinned.

"Ja, just fine actually. A good shleep is all I needed!" Ludwig looked fairly relieved.

"Ah, zats...Very good. I'm glad."

"Aren't you such a good little bruder, worrying about ze aweshome me! Vell, you can stop zat now, I'm fine."

"Ve aren't bruders, Gilbert…"

"Ah, that's right…" Arthur muttered after being elbowed by Francis.

"Vhat?" Gilbert asked, looking over at the short blonde.

"We found your car, mon ami." Francis said brightly. Gilbert blinked.

"You mean vhat's left of it?" The German asked jokingly before sobering. "Find anyzing of importance?"

"Oui, 'ere you go…" Francis held out his hand, a black...something laying in his palm. "Ze outside is a little burnt, but everything inside is fine." Accepting the charred item, Gilbert tilted his head.

"My...vallet?" He opened it, fingers running along the different pieces of plastic before choosing a white one. Taking it out, Gilbert inspected the white card with blue snowflakes on.

'_**Gilbert Beilschmidt'**_

'_**Head manager of Snowbunny' **_

Gilbert snickered at the strange name, before re-reading it and realising he _owned_ whatever this company was. He circled the couch, sitting beside Matthew and twisting the plastic so he could read the back. A phone number and address was written there, but of course Gilbert couldn't get there without a car, and his phone…

'_Hm.'_

Setting the card on the table Gilbert picked out the next one, Matthew taking the one on the table.

This one was his credit card, but Gilbert doubted he'd be using it.

The albino went through a couple more before coming across what seemed to be a photo, crumpled up between two cards.

"Gilbert…" The red-eyed man's attention was diverted from his wallet.

"Ja, Birdie?" Matthew gave Gilbert a weird look before handing him the 'Snowbunny' card.

"Look...This one has a different set of numbers to the others." Gilbert blinked when he realised that his friend was right. So, if the others were his phone number, then this one was…What? His work number?

Standing up suddenly, Gilbert pulled the white card from two pale fingers and grinned.

"You got a phone, Birdie?" The younger boy blinked before standing as well.

"Yep, let me just...Come here!" Gilbert followed Matthew into the hall, where a phone sat on a table.

"There you go." Gilbert thanked his friend before picking up the phone with the hand holding the card, and dialing the number using the other.

_Ring ring…_

_Ring ring…_

"_Hello, this is Snowbunny reception, how can I help you?" _Gilbert frowned. Just to make sure…

"Uh, hello! Can I talk to ze manager...Please?"

"_Oh, I'm sorry, uh...The manager, Mr Beilschmidt, has been missing for a while now...The police are looking for him, but...Yeah, he isn't here right now."_

Gilbert grinned momentarily, before wincing when a sharp pain rocketed through his head. He knew this voice...Who was she? Dammit, he couldn't remember!

"Oh, uh…"

"_I'm sorry, sir, but if that's all…" _

"No, vait-!" The line went dead in his ear and he cursed loudly in German, slamming the phone back down onto the receiver.

Gilbert relaxed slowly as he leant against the banister, fingers tapping rhythmically against the table, deep in thought.

"_Been missing for a while now…"_ He narrowed his eyes. What did that mean? he knew he had been staying at the house for at least two weeks now, but she would have said two weeks if that was true...Perhaps he had been missing even before that?

Letting himself take in his surroundings, Gilbert realised something else - this house was incredibly old. Seriously old. _Too old._

Now, that would be ok if it weren't for the fact that it wasn't the outside that made it old, it was the inside. The interior decorating of the house made it look like something out of Victorian England or something, and there was copious amounts of dust on _everything._ The banister, the mirror, the table, even the chandelier that hung from the hallway ceiling. If it weren't for his hand, the phone would probably be covered in dust too.

And the phone itself...Well, it was a cable phone. Only old people had those nowadays (he guessed). Plus, he had never once seen any member of the household take out a mobile.

…

Gilbert wandered back into the living room.

"Any luck, Gil?" Matthew asked. Gilbert stared at him for a moment.

"Do you have a mobile phone, Birdie?" Matthew opened his mouth slowly, looking suddenly confused and slightly apprehensive.

"Uh…" The younger boy reached into his pocket, closing around the item inside before taking it out slowly. "Here?" Gilbert took it out of his hand, now looking completely serious. Matthew felt a shiver go down his spine. He didn't like Gilbert like this. It was as if the wide grin and idiotic attitude were non-existent…

Gilbert meanwhile, examined the phone closely. Yes, this was a mobile. But it was too modern for such an old place and...It seemed too familiar. He'd never seen Matthew use it before either, so…

"Zis is mine." Matthew froze.

"W-What…?" He practically whispered. Gilbert glared at him, frowning.

"Zis is mine." He repeated. "Why do you have my phone." Matthew backed up slightly, the people still in the room watching in confusion.

"I-I don't…" Gilbert held it out.

"Turn it on. If it's yours, you know how to right?" Matthew went pale. He'd never figured out how to do that.

"Please, Gilbert, this isn't-!" Gilbert suddenly felt extremely betrayed and scowled, turning away from the younger boy and switching on the phone. He watched it load for a moment before locking it once it had turned on fully and pocketing it.

"Vell?" He crossed his arms, suddenly seeming powerful and demanding. The traits of a leader. Matthew wished he wasn't so stupid sometimes.

"Gilbert, I'm sorry, but...I…I was going to give it to you!" Gilbert turned his glare onto the others in the room.

"Did any of you know about zis?" Head turned, excuses muttered softly to themselves. Gilbert huffed. "Fine. I'll deal vith zis alone." He then turned and walked back out of the room.

**0o0o0o0o0**

Gilbert was fed up with all these secrets being kept from him. He didn't like it. But, in hindsight, this probably wasn't the best course of action either…

Closing the door quietly behind him, the albino wondered how easily it would be for someone to see him in the dark...And if Ivan slept with any sort of weapon.

'_Time to see what it is you all are hiding from me...'_ He thought, creeping up to the bed first. The tall man was laying in the bed, looking much more peaceful in sleep then when awake. Almost cute.

'_Wait, what the hell am I thinking?!' _Quickly wiping any thoughts of Ivan being..._cute_ out of his mind, Gilbert turned away from the sleeping man.

'_Now lets see...What was it Ivan and Bir- Matthew were talking about...A key?' _Gilbert searched practically everywhere he could in the room Ivan owned, trying to ignore how unsettled he felt at the blood red walls.

Eventually Gilbert realised, after a minute of standing still and thinking, that the only play he hadn't searched yet was...Ivan.

'_Oh fuck.'_ Red eyes flickered across the lump of person under the covers before stopping at a pale face. '_Might as well get this over with...'_

Stepping towards Ivan once more, the German got close enough to bend over the sleeping body.

'_Wow. Ivan doesn't even look like he's breathing.'_ Gilbert thought, looking impressed. '_Playing dead. Best way to catch out a thief. Smart.' _But, as he scanned what he could of Ivans body - he wasn't trying to be perverted or anything, just as thorough as he could be without undressing the other man - he realised than Ivan was cold to touch. And actually not breathing. Gilbert even dared to open an eyelid - Dark, blank purple eyes stared back.

Allowing himself to start hyperventilating, Gilbert decided respecting the dead was not what he should be focused on. Throwing caution to the wind, Gilbert threw Ivans covers off him- '_OH GOTT MEINE AUGEN!' -_and promptly threw them back, the image of a naked Russian forever scarring the Germans mind.

'_I DID NOT NEED TO SEE THAT. FUCK. GOTT, WHY.' _Shuddering, Gilbert slowly pulled back the covers enough to see the key hung around Ivans - or, what was left of Ivan he supposed - neck. The German didn't noticed the thin lines cris-crossing the Russians neck however, probably due to his own panic at being around a dead body and the low lighting.

Slipping the key off the dead bodys neck, Gilbert all but ran out of the room, quietly closing the door behind him. '_When I said I wanted the man dead I didn't actually mean it!' _The albino sighed. '_Oh well. I have what I want, so I suppose it's back to bed for me...I wonder how the others will take this in the morning.'_

**0o0o0o0o0**

The next morning Gilbert greeted everyone cheerfully except Matthew, who he pointedly ignored. The younger man seemed upset about it, therefore making Gilbert feel horrible, but to be fair the blonde had lied to him and stolen something important to his memories coming back. Actually, Gilbert hadn't had a chance to check his phone out, too busy in between thinking and stealing from Ivan.

Oh, yeah. Ivan. Well, probably best to get that over and done with.

"Everyvone!" He called while clambering onto one of the tables in the dining hall, catching many, _many_ peoples attention. Gilbert swore at least fifty people lived in this gigantic ass mansion, some he hadn't even met yet. "Unfortunately, last night I discovered zat-"

"_WHERE IS IT?!" _Everyone in the room flinched, including Gilbert. Heads turned to an incredibly angry, somehow living Ivan Braginsky. Two white eyebrows furrowed in confusion. What?

"Ivan! What iz it, what's wrong?" Francis said, looking worried. Dark purple eyes turned on red ones.

"The key is missing." Silence in the hall. Then, a wail of what sounded to be horror. This was followed by an outraged - and suspiciously English accented - call of 'WHAT?!' and then followed by nearly everyone in the hall practically screaming their heads off. Gilbert watched in confused and mildly amused silence.

"EVERYVONE SHUT UP!" Ludwig quickly silenced them all, before turning to Ivan. "Vhat do you mean, it's 'missing'?" Ivan gave the German an incredulous look.

"What do you think it means, Ludwig? The key is _gone._" Matthew, frowning with worry, asked;

"Are you sure you didn't just put it somewhere else?"

"Нет, Матвей. It stays around my neck all the time. If it hadn't been stolen, I'd think it was fused to my chest."

"You think it's been _stolen_?! So you're accusing us of being criminals now?!" Arthur demanded, in a rage. Beside him a young boy with similar hair and eyebrows but blue eyes - the one who had wailed earlier - held tightly onto his hand. Ivan scowled.

"No. I think _he_-" And at this point he turned on Gilbert, still stood on the table. "Stole it."

**0o0o0o0o0**

"Is zis _really_ necessary?" Gilbert grumbled as at least ten people turned his - mostly bare- room upside down looking for something that he did have, but wasn't there. Ludwig looked apologetically at his 'older brother'.

"Sorry, Gilbert. Ivan seems very determined to prove it vas you vho stole ze key, but I know you vouldn't. You, from vhat I've learnt from the time you've stayed here, are a morally correct person." Gilbert suddenly felt as if something inside him had curled up and died. He vaguely recognized this feeling as guilt, and turned his head away. This was why he would never be the awesome older brother he wanted so desperately to be for Ludwig.

"...Ja...Zat's me, aweshome Gilbert." His words were of the usual fakeness, and Ludwig seemed to buy it because he turned away when Feliciano caught his attention.

"...Uhm. Gilbert?" The albino turned himself around to look at a shy and fidgeting Matthew.

"...Vhat." Gilbert cursed himself for sounding so cruel.

"I...I just...I don't think you stole the key." Matthew murmured eventually. The creature that had died inside of Gilbert now started poisoning his blood system.

"Oh...Uh...Danke...Um…" Neither man said anything.

"Matthieu~?" Francis called from the hallway.

"Oui, frère?"

"Ivan wants to talk to you." Matthew looked almost apprehensive about seeing Ivan, but sighed and nodded anyway.

"Oui I'll...Tell him I'll be a minute." Francis shrugged and nodded, flashing a warm, friendly smile in Gilberts direction before sauntering off. Gilbert wanted to stab himself in the chest with something blunt at this point.

"Gilbert, I...I'm sorry about your phone, alright? And I'm not going back on what I said about believing you had the key, but... " Matthew put his hands on Gilberts shoulders and pressed his forehead against the albinos. "But please, _please _don't get caught up in what this mansion is.

Who we are, what's going on...It just isn't safe for you or us to have you finding out...Ivan would kill you. I know you want to look, and find out, but please for the love of God just leave it alone.

Get out, call someone to pick you up from the road, go to a hospital and get your memories back just _leave while you still can dammit."_ Gilbert blinked, surprised. Due to their closeness and Matthews quiet voice, the younger boy was certain no one had heard any of that. "_Stop searching."_ Then the blonde stepped away from Gilbert and ran off. Gilbert could only stare after him.

'_I wish I could just walk away Birdie, but after that...I need to know. I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry.'_

**0o0o0o0o0**

For the course of the next three days, Gilbert couldn't find the door the key fit into. Firstly, Ivan practically stalked him around the mansion now, watching him and everything he did. Secondly, when he did manage to lose the tall Russian, he could never get the right door that fit the key. Eventually the only conclusion he came to was that this key was the key to the attic door.

"Verdammit..." The German cursed, stabbing his dinner a little too violently with his fork.

"Something vong?" Ludwig asked him. He and Ludwig were eating together in the younger mans room, times like this some of the only times Gilbert escaped Ivans relentless watch on him.

"Nien...I'm fine bruder." Setting his plate aside, Gilbert flopped down on the bed he sat on and stared at the ceiling. Oh how he wished he had his memories back. Perhaps all this would be easier to understand...Or maybe it would make it harder.

With a groan Gilbert threw his hands up into the air before letting them drop onto his face. Why was living here so _difficult_…

"Are you sure? You seem a little out of it." Ludwigs voice brought the albino back. Forcing a grin, Gilbert rolled onto his front.

"Ja, ja. Fine! Just...A little tired, actually." Ludwig let a small smile come onto his face. Sometimes he felt like the older on in their relationship.

"Ja, vell, vould you like me to take you to your room?" Gilbert waved a hand.

"Nah, ze aweshome me vill be fine. You sleep Luddy, don't vorry about big bruder Gilbert."

"I vorry about you because you say things like zat!" Ludwig called after Gilbert as the albino exited the room.

Gilbert did a quick scan of the hallway. No long brown coat, no dark brown coat, no pink scarf...Alright. He was safe.

Gilbert literally shot up the stairs, being as quiet as he could while trying to reach the attic without Ivan - or anyone else, really - finding him. Eventually he reached the top and, despite being out of breath and in need of some water - or perhaps a nice cold beer - Gilbert felt triumphant.

"Ha! Novone keeps out ze aweshome me...Not even myself! ...Huh, zat kinda sounds like I'm threatening to fuck myself." Gilbert muttered to himself before shaking his head.

"Only got a little bit of time, Gilbert. Open ze door!" Reaching into the pocket he had picked himself in one of his work shirts - the one he had come to the mansion with, actually, so that would be his _only_ work shirt - he pulled out the key. Shoving it into the keyhole, he twisted it violently and flung the door open, before strolling right inside. He didn't forget to lock it behind him though.

Dust. Dust, everywhere. SO MUCH DUST. And spiders. Well, spiderwebs, but fuck were there a lot of them.

"Nein...No silly spider can stop me now." He stepped further into the door, quickly spotting the only thing covered in less dust than the rest of the room. A book.

"Really. _Really._ A book. Zat's vhat zey don't vant me knowing about? A _book?_" Facepalming and deciding that the residents of this house were stranger than he had initially thought, Gilbert unlocked the door and prepared to leave. However, he lingered in the room for a moment before turning back around, slowly heading towards the old book in the middle of the room.

"Vhile I'm here I might as vell...Satisfy my curiosity…" He stopped in front of the dusty old wooden desk that supported the book and stared down at it.

"...Come on Gilbert. It's just a book. It's not as if ze damn zing is cursed or somezing like zat…" And so, slowly, Gilbert picked up the book - not forgetting that this was obviously a relic to the mansion and if he gripped the pages any tighter than he already was they would crumble to dust in his hands - and began to read.

_Apparatus Commentarius 1_

_Entry One_

_Hello. This is Augustus Vargas, writing in my first journal about the creation of my inventions. This is a continuation of the work I did with my friend _- here a name was scribbled over in black ink - _who donated many models to the cause. _

_The first and last two we worked on together were siblings of the female gender. The older was designed to be motherly and caring, the younger to be hostile yet protective. Both failed. I will be writing down the conditions of the failures and trying to correct them for the next creation. _

Gilbert tilted his head. What, was that it? He turned the page and blinked when it turned out the next couple of pages was just writing about these two...'creations'.

_Apparatus Commentarius 1_

_Entry Two_

_Salve. Augustus Vargas, writing the second entry for my journal. Today I will be recording the creation and shut-down of my first two creations. They, the sisters, were created at the same time and woken at the same time precisely. Both malfunctioned after two weeks, showing changes in personality before doing so. _

_The first, Yekaterina 'Katyusha' Braginskya was programmed with a motherly and nurturing personality in mind, in order to look after her two younger siblings. She worked hard, planting flowers outside around the trees and washing the clothes, making food, very woman-like things to do. At the two-week mark she lost a lot of confidence and seemed to burst into tears if she made only the slightest mistake on anything. Soon after this, she broke down completely. We scrapped her. _

_The second, Natalia Arlovskaya, was more or less the opposite of Yekaterina. She was cold and judgemental, although very fond of her older sister. She refused to do any manual work and instead let Yekaterina do it all for her. After two weeks had passed, she went from protective to possessive. She refused to let us touch anything that belonged to her, be it clothes or household items, and stayed close to Yekaterina, even threatening myself and _- here a name is once again scribbled away - _with a knife once. She, like her sister, broke down afterwards. We scrapped her too._

_I believe that the changes in Yekaterinas personality was brought on by Natalias, which happened first. Why Natalia malfunctioned, however, is still unknown. _

_Soon after my friend abandoned our work and left me to continue. Next, I am hoping to start creation of the middle sibling, between Yekaterina and Natalia. He will be the first male, and will hopefully not malfunction like his sisters. _

_I am contemplating names for him. He and his sisters are East Slavic, so I want something Russian as his name. _

_Ivan, perhaps…?_

Gilbert stared in surprise at the book in his pale hands, shakily placing it down. Something wasn't right with this. Someone...Creating another person? As in, robots that appeared human? Human skin, eyes, teeth...Gilbert suddenly felt sick. That wasn't the worst part, though. The part where Augustus said, quite plainly, that he _scrapped_ Yekaterina and Natalia. What does that even mean? Were they just...stripped down? Were their...Whatever they were made of reused to create more?

Gilbert really was sick that time, gagging in his own mouth and bending over the table dry-heaving.

He didn't like this. Matthew was right, he should have stayed out of this.

Red eyes distrustfully eyed the book before the albino straightened, sighing softly. He raised his eyes to the bookshelf behind the desk, tilting his head slightly.

Why…

Why did the silhouette of the light from the hall look like a man holding something long and thin with a hook on the end like a bat, ready to hit him?

…

Gilbert only turned around in time to see an evil scowl and dark purple eyes before pain rocketed through his temple and his vision went black.


End file.
